Howling Oak / Cornish Heritage Ventures Flock History

Gibson line

Mrs. Gibson was one of the first private breeders of St. Croix sheep, obtaining her flock directly from Utah State University. Registration numbers of Gibson sheep start at #161 (Gibson HH35). In 1993, Delmer Burch obtained a flock of about a dozen sheep of the Gibson's breeding, including Gibson HH802T and HH808T. The Burch family sold their flock to the Swans in 2001. Jo Swan died in 2010 but is survived by her husband, Steve; their daughter Susan retains a small flock of St Croix sheep.

The ram HH802T was described by Jo Swan as big and long. Ewe HH808T had twins or triplets for the last 7-8 years of her life, before dying in 2004 at age 16. Burch232 (b. 1996, COl 41.S%) was from the last lamb crop by HH802T. A deep, thick ram, he died in 2003. All the Swan's Gibson sheep are descended from the rams HH802T (#796, Melos MM633xMM603) (b. 1988) and Burch 232, and ewes HH808T (#804, b. 1988) and HH804T (#801). MM633 & MM603 share the same sire (HHC42T12, #204). This line was thus briefly but intensely inbred, and was extensively culled. Other Gibson sheep found in pedigrees include the ram Baba192R; and the ewes Burch2, Burch38, Burch50, Baba104, and Baba391. The farthest back Karen was able to trace them is to ST91, ST6, ST197, and ST91 (these are university flock numbers from prior to the opening of the registry).

Howling Oak's starter flock of St Croix came from the Swans immediately prior to their move from CA to OR in 2003. They delivered 4 bred ewes and a ram, some of which eventually became the foundation of their Gibson flock. They purchased more Gibson-line sheep from them in 2006-2007. The line is now based on 6 ewes, all originating from the Swan flock. Howling Oak observed a wide range of temperaments in sheep from this line, and it produced their only "wild" sheep. The line also includes Swan 735, a very tame ewe that passes that trait on reliably. Lamb production of Gibson ewes has been variable, from outstanding to below average, so that some purchased ewes have no progeny left in the flock.

• Swan 379, deceased, was one of the last daughters of Burch232. Average producer, average lamb growth. Daughters produced some red-haired spots on lambs. Sons lacked substance but were tall. The daughter left in the flock is  Marias (Oak 204).
• Swan 481, deceased, a source of HH808T without Burch 232 (3/8 Gibson). Produced some excellent lambs, and some poor growing lambs, some of which had only one kidney. There are two daughters left in the flock - Oak 238 & Oak 239.
• Swan 485, another source of HH808T without Burch 232, but with Milfont 23. Good producer of twins. An old gal losing condition, she was retired from lamb production in 2011 and remains at Howling Oak.
• Swan 664, has two other sources of Gibson (Harris RT9S-9, Burch 50) but is only 3/16 Gibson "blood". Excellent producer of twins and triplets with good growth. One of the older ewes that was retained at Howling Oak. Here on the farm we have two of her daughters - Ione (Oak 160) & Sitka (Oak 230).
  
• Swan 735, a double-granddaughter of Burch232, 69% Gibson. Consistent producer of twins, good growth; large framed, very friendly, as are her lambs. Another of the older ewes that was retained at Howling Oak. In the flock here remains her two daughters - Poppy (Oak 226) & Oak 298.
• Swan 722, another double-granddaughter of Burch232. Born a triplet, was quite small when purchased at weaning. Produced only singles to 3.5 years of age then culled; kept and used best ram lamb (fathered by Res Gr Ch St Croix ram, Creole) since she produced no daughters! Her lamb production may have been negatively influenced in utero by her two brothers (recent studies support this).

 

Simpson Line

Neil Simpson obtained his sheep directly from USU; his flock's registration numbers start in the 100s. Some Simpson sheep were sold to the USDA ARS research facility in Boonesville, Arkansas. The Harris's (Vanessa and her husband, Bob, former President of the Breed Assn) purchased sheep from this flock. The Harris flock was dispersed in 2006 when fires swept through Oklahoma. Howling Oak purchased 5 ewes from them, all daughters of the Boonesville USDA ram SCFFRC4168, a large triplet. The USDA flock was almost completely dispersed a year or two later. Stephen Wildeus (who did his PhD thesis on St Croix sheep and maintains both a personal flock and a flock at Virginia State University) may have obtained some of these sheep but when I last spoke with him he was not registering his St Croix sheep.

 

4168 is the son of Simpson 230 (#594) and a USDA ewe (8-59) derived from Simpson parents (0046 #144, and 0050 #157). These sheep trace back to Simpson 29 (#139), 37 {#142}, 46 (#144), 50 (#157), 159 (#588) and the ram Simpson 230 (#594). The farthest back Karen was able to trace the Simpson sheep is Yellow 107 and 348, ST175, ST385 (these sheep were from before the registry formed, when flocks were all at Universities). Yellow 107, allegedly one of the original imports, can also be found way back behind USU693 (another Swan herd sire), USU 455 (a USU herd sire), and USU 482. The Swans had some descendants of the Simpson ram #0062, according to Jo, and used as a herd sire Harris RT154, a 1/4 Simpson ram born in 2001.

 

Breeding closely on this line has produced stillborn lambs. Scurs are not uncommon, and there have been some colored lambs which were culled. This line produces lambs with much better than average frame size and length, and provides an excellent outcross for the commonly available St Croix lineages on the West Coast.

• Harris RT510, now deceased, 75% Simpson, COI 37%, small bodied symmetrical ewe with a short lower jaw. Two daughters produced a "palsied" lamb that was unable to stand, when bred to Simpson line rams. One daughter Cybele (Oak 92) remains in the flock.
• Harris RT521, died in 2010, 75% Simpson, COl 25%, small-bodied proportional ewe, good producer of rams. Produced only two daughters (the nicer one, Aone Oak 99, remains in the flock). 
• Harris RT532, died in 2010, 68.8% Simpson, COl 4%, large long ewe, good producer of twins. Died in 2010. Only daughter remaining in flock is Ceres, Oak 38 plus two sons, Oak 185 & Oak 241.
  
• HarrisRT548, 62.5% Simpson, COl 14%, large very long ewe, great producer (twins and triplets), throws color (Bedinger 555 is an import from the Virgin Islands ca. 1997. Charlie Bedinger, a former breed assn. president, personally imported these sheep and maintains a flock with largely "recent"-import genetics.) This old gal was retained at Howling Oak and will retire from breeding in 2012. Her daughters in the flock are: Daphne (Oak 45), Damia (Oak 35), Iris (Oak 82), Oak 242 and Oak 312. She has one remaining son in the flock, Oak 243
  

"Menig" Line

This line is a combination of three early flocks that do not appear to exist independently today but are behind many west coast flocks. Cal Poly, Pomona obtained 5 rams and 3 ewes from USU in 1978 and eventually sold some of their progeny to private breeders. The Walding flock included both Cal Poly and early USU stock. Juan Spillet's flock included sheep with registration numbers in the 400s, and came from USU via Dr. Homer Ellsworth. The Menig flock included sheep from CalPoly, Juan Spillet, and the Walding flock, all with very early numbers (700s and lower). Dr. Edward and Linda Barnes of Portland OR bought sheep from the Menigs, as did various other small breeers in Oregon (7 Devils, Lukas}; the Barnes have also sold sheep throughout Oregon. It might be possible to get a high % MC in Oregon from the Barnes or others; however, Howling Oak instead combined multiple sources of the 'line' through rams. D/L 17 Leland, a longtime herd sire for the Barnes, is a widespread source of this 'line' in OR (and even Oklahoma, as he was represented in the Harris flock), so Howling Oak made the decision to try and avoid him when building this line. They also sought to avoid Milfont 21, a ram from Linda O'Neill's Virginia flock that produced a 'type' that they did not like, but was being used as a herd-Sire by the Barnes. These sheep tend to be smaller-framed, blocky, shorter-legged, symmetrical and have good maternal traits.

At Howling Oak, this line was derived through rams, not ewes. Some of the sheep that have descendants in the flock include Cal Poly 7240, 7903 (#366), 8542 (#390), 8546 (#389) and 8413 (#388); Walding 658 (#487) and 740 (#701); and Spillet 3508 (#421), 3521 (#644), 3434 (#428), and 3496 (#638), often via Menig sheep such as Menig 18 (#708), 19 {#709)and 23 (#718). Rams used include:

• Barnes D/L152 Leonard (50% Menig). Produced scurs, inconsistent type. Sired by Milfont 21.
• Churchill C301 Captain (37.5% M). Average producer.
• Churchill C309 Creole (37.5% M). Produced scurs, inconsistent type, some very nice lambs.
• Barnes D/l189 Elliot (75% M). Very consistent producer of correct type.
•  Van Hoy BP158 Kenyon (50% M) (through bred ewes purchased from Harris flock)

 

History of St. Croix at Howling Oak / Cornish Heritage Ventures

After starting with wool-hair cross sheep in 1997, Karen decided in 2006 to actively pursue a conservation breeding program with the St. Croix. They purchased sheep from the Barnes, the Swans, the Churchill's, the Field's of Oregon, and the Harris's of Oaklahoma. In 2008, they narrowed the breeding program from 4 lines to 3. That year they also won Supreme Grand Champion Ewe and Reserve Champion Ram at Lambtown USA, Dixon CA, and they were the Premier Breeder in the Heritage and American Primitive Sheep division at the California State Fair.

Karen was webmaster for the St Croix Sheep Breeders Association from 2007-2010, South-west director in 2008/2009, and Vice-President in 2009-2010.

As we, Richard & Liz, build this website in January 2012, our new job as preservers of the St. Croix is only just beginning. We traveled 4000 miles (round trip) to pick up 36 bred ewes and 8 rams. Yes, quite a load! At this point, the ewes are getting used to their new life in the Ozarks of southern Missouri. Some of them are very pregnant and we are a little intimidated but excited all at the same time about this new venture. Lambing starts the beginning of February and although no strangers to animal births this will be our first experience with sheep births. We look forward to working with this breed for many years to come.

Used with permission from Karen Gerhart, owner of Howling Oak in California and adapted by Richard & Liz Pomeroy of Cornish Heritage Ventures, the new owners of the Howling Oak Flock. Richard & Liz are very grateful to Karen for providing us with all the above information and more.